Las Vegas is full of energy, abounding beauty and something to entice you at every turn and every step, but sometimes it is a hidden discovery that can turn a simple trip into much more. By making Las Vegas his home and home to his galleries, Jeff Mitchum has brought an expected treasure to Las Vegas by sharing his unparalleled photography.

It would be impossible to enter the Jeff Mitchum Gallery and not be in awe. In this day and age of everyone taking a picture of anything and everything and having the ability to use Photoshop or another computer program to make the perfect picture, they would all pale in comparison to the vision that Jeff brings to the camera lens. Jeff lives by his belief that colors should be created in a camera, not a computer. To dismiss this work as photography is a gross understatement, the beauty in each photograph is that of an artist, Jeff simply goes about it using a different canvas.

First Light

“When I get an assignment I start thinking of the sun, the moon, the tide, weather, clouds, subject matter, you gather all of those elements and then how do you arrange it,” Jeff said. “I start with the final end and then back into it and bring it all together.”

While the beauty in each image is there for the world to see, there is so much more to the story and that is built into the persona of Jeff. Viewing the images that Jeff has been able to create is one thing, but at the gallery you will get the backstory of each photograph. And that you will find will make each photograph even that much more stunning.

“The photograph itself is not enough, the visual journey has to be backed with an intellectual journey,” Jeff said.

Source of Life

That gives credence to what is the most enticing reason to visit one of the two Jeff Mitchum galleries, Jeff himself. You can see the images, you can hear the stories relayed beautifully by his staff of art experts, but Jeff actually lives in Las Vegas. I can’t promise Jeff will be there when you visit, but if he is you will have the opportunity to hear first-hand the genius behind the pictures and there is no one better to tell them than Jeff himself.

A collection that will stand the test of time and one that is so powerful is the “Masada Collection.” Jeff will take you on a journey through Israel, but as usual with Jeff, there is far more to the story. This was his opportunity as he put it “to create fine are out of war.” Sticking out of the ground in the Golan Heights Jeff saw the corner of a window frame from a Syrian bunker and found it to amazingly be 16x38 in size, perfect for his Israel panoramic collection. Jeff found enough frames to create two collections, one to be housed in Jerusalem and the other set is in his gallery at Bellagio. The beauty of Israel is brought to life in this collection of photographs combined with these historical frames is a powerful pairing that will truly touch you.

Triumph of Light and Hope

Jeff opened his first gallery inside of Bellagio in 2011 and that sole gallery was clearly not enough for Las Vegas. Jeff recently added a second Las Vegas gallery with the July opening of his 4,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed Jeff Mitchum Gallery at MGM Grand. This gallery will not only showcase his incredible landscape images but it will also introduce the world to his never-before-seen sculptures.

“It is a huge burden on me to compliment the Bellagio brand,” Jeff said. “I am very guarded about what I allow in the gallery.”

Next time you are in Las Vegas and you want experience something truly memorable, make your way to Bellagio or MGM for something like you have never seen before. I will leave you with a quote from Jeff that is on his website and best sums up his work, “When words were inadequate to describe the light of nature’s art, God created film.”